A recently built 480-kWAC solar array in southern Ann Arbor, Michigan, is now the city’s largest PV project. This array at Steere Farm Wells is helping power vital water pumping facilities at one of Ann Arbor’s biggest electricity users.
Credit: The City of Ann Arbor
This collaboration resulted from a collaboration between Ann Arbor Water, Information Technology and Office of Sustainability and Innovations (OSI), which led and funded the project in accordance with the city’s A2ZERO carbon neutrality goals.
“There were a lot of moving pieces,” said Simi Barr, OSI senior analyst for municipal operations. “It took collaboration between many city staff and departments, along with external consultants and contractors in order to ensure we designed a system that would serve the intended purpose without jeopardizing the city’s critical water infrastructure.”
This installation is Ann Arbor’s latest in its mission to decarbonize both its own operations and the city at large. In 2025, solar arrays went online at two more city facilities, solar carports were installed at Veterans Memorial Park, an electric pursuit vehicle was added to the Ann Arbor Police department fleet, four all-electric refuse trucks began collection and several other actions were taken to reduce the city’s carbon footprint. More is slated to happen in 2026, including the installation of at least three more solar arrays, including a residential energy storage program led by the city-owned utility Ann Arbor Sustainability Energy Utility.
This work is a part of A2ZERO, the Ann Arbor’s plan for a just and equitable transition to carbon neutrality, community-wide, by 2030.
News item from the City of Ann Arbor
